Heroes in the Making
by Torn Apart Paper Dinosaur
Summary: The team meet 13 years prior to the fight in Manhattan, and they're trying to work their way through life. Learning as the years pass and come to find that friends drift apart, and life isn't as cut and dry like people make it seem. Though it ends up crafting the team we now know as the Avengers. High School AU.


Hello everyone, thanks for sticking with me on my long leave. I haven't been in the mood to write recently, having a lot of upcoming problems in my life that needed my full attention but I appreciate all the views on my stories regardless. This is a new Avengers story, and it might be confusing at first, but it's my goal to get the plot in there and make it flow.

It's an AU, but besides the team being younger they will still form the Avengers, and become hero's, all in due time. I am also trying my best to stick to both the movie and comic pasts with adding my own little twists to make the story more interesting. Hope you like it, and if you don't that's okay let me know either way, I'll write more if you guys leave your ideas and input.

I would like to thank Doppler Effect, and 000janedoe000 for both looking it over and giving me advice on it.

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**DECEMBER 14, 2000 2:47 AM**

Tony tilted his head, looking over the blueprint for a new prototype he had come up with. He shifted the lamp on the desk so he could see better and grabbed a pencil from the floor, making notes as he tapped his foot to the Led Zeppelin sound track coming from his head phones. The rest of the room was dark, and to his right there were two beds, night stands to accompany them, and another desk parallel to his. A phone sitting on the empty bed ringed, and Tony didn't acknowledge it, putting his back to the rest of the room as he tried to focus on his project.

Steve groaned from his bed, "Stark, answer your phone."

"I can't hear you, Rogers, listening to kickass rock - not that you would know anything about good music - and I am however currently on a breakthrough. Let it go to voicemail, college offers can wait till next week," Tony ranted loudly not looking at Steve as he grabbed a screwdriver from the desk and starting tinkering with a part of his project.

Steve sighed and got out of bed, throwing the covers off he went across the room to grab Tony's phone. He winced at the light, and sound as it ringed again, reading the caller ID. "It's Barton," Steve said, squinting at the clock and seeing it was barely three in the morning - he didn't have time, not to mention the patience for whatever this was about.

"Tell him I'm busy, and if he's dying, could you go grab him?" Tony said, unconcerned while he glanced over his shoulder as Steve sighed at his answer and hit accept on the phone.

"Barton - Stark is working on one of his... toys again, and is too busy to answer his phone. He also wants to let you know that whatever project he's trying to complete before the deadline is more important than your life. Now, why are you calling so early in the morning? If you say anything about police, I'm hanging up and leaving your ass in jail," Steve spoke into the phone, walking over towards Tony.

_"Tell Stark he's a dick, and I need one of you to help us out. Obviously I'm not important enough for Bruce either, because he won't answer me. And no I'm not in jail, Rogers, who do you take me for?" _Clint's voice came from the other line.

"A punk that needs manners. Tell Stark that yourself," Steve said as he sat the phone on the edge of the desk and put it on speaker. He yanked the earphones out of Tony's ears and motioned to the phone.

"What's up, Barton?" Tony asked, changing his screwdriver for a hammer.

"_Stark, you're a dick_," he deadpanned, muttering something too low for them to hear.

Steve leaned against the wall, crossing his arms thinking. "What did you mean by help _us_ out?" he asked, looking at Tony in confusion.

"If Bruce is with you, I'm going to be pissed; he said he had to study for his Biology final. Couldn't help me with my project, but he can go out drinking with you. I see where my friendship lies with you, Barton. Didn't even ask if I wanted to come along," Tony scoffed, getting out of his chair and crossing the room to grab his first edition StarkPad.

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose, "Clint, if you've been out drinking - I don't even know how to respond to that. It's finals week for Christ sake! Not to mention that fact that it's against the law for you to drink."

"_That doesn't stop Tony,"_ Clint pointed out, and Steve shot Tony a look and the genius shrugged, sitting back down. "_You two banter way too much; just stop talking for a second, if I knew it was going to take this long I would have taken the roof. Steve, by us I mean me and Natasha-"_

"Natasha and I," Tony interrupted squinting at what he had found before turning his tablet around to get a better look at the picture. "Why is she with you, I thought you two weren't dating?"

_"We aren't_," Clint growled, _"Just like you and Pepper aren't dating, though I can't say the same about Steve and Peggy."_

Steve blushed, and Tony whistled lowly, "Remind me to ask how you found out about that, because he hasn't told me anything."

"My love life isn't any of your two's business in the first place," Steve snapped, straightening out his white wife beater. "So, Barton, if you're not in jail…. where are you and Natasha? Why would you need Stark's help so much anyway?"

_"Standing outside your room actually, well more like five and a half feet to the left since there's a dumpster in the way. We need you to let us in, you're the only one I could get a hold of, Pepper wouldn't answer either, and I didn't bother calling any of the other's since they're all cranky when they wake up in the middle of the night, something about, obnoxious banter that could wait until morning. We would stay out here, really, but considering Natasha's board advisor is a bitch and room checks them in the night, she needs to be up there in seven minutes_," Clint said.

"You're outside?" Steve asked, opening the window, and looking down.

Tony grabbed the phone turning it off speaker, and moved over to the window, sticking his head out, "Hey Clint, Natalie."

_"It's Natasha, Stark_," she said through Clint's phone, and he could see even from how far they were up that she was glaring at him. Tony smirked, and Steve took the phone, not wanting to yell and wake up security.

"What are you guys doing? Never mind the explanation can wait until you get in here, better yet - how are you going to get up here?" he asked as they were three floors up.

"_Climb,"_ Natasha said, taking off her shoes.

"Wait, let me tape this, first – not to mention most likely last - time I'll see Natalie scaling the boarding house in a tight dress. Did I mention how flattering you look, no wonder Barton took you out past curfew," Tony said, grabbing the phone from Steve.

"_Shove it Stark_," Natasha said as she hiked up her dress and held her heels with one hand.

Clint came behind her, as she grabbed the ladder and pulled herself up. "_Fuck off, Stark. We're going up the fire escape, genius, your room is the closest to it_," Clint said as he started climbing, disconnecting their call.

Tony moved back as they came up, tossing his phone on his bed. Steve opened the window wider and helped Natasha inside. She landed barefoot on the wooden floor as Clint came in after her. Sighing, Natasha set her heels down and pushing her hair out of her eyes as she undid the long curls.

"So, not dating?" Tony asked again, looking at the clothing they both wore. It wasn't too fancy based on anything in Tony's opinion, but he knew Barton only owned t-shirts and jeans, and he'd never seen Natasha in a dress that nice before.

"Not dating, Stark," Natasha confirmed as Steve closed the window and locked it, shutting the blinds too. "I'll see you guys later, I have to get back to my room before Hill finds me out of bed."

The three boys said their goodbyes as Natasha slipped out of the room into the dark hallway back to the girl's dormitories. Steve turned to Clint, and Tony sat on his bed, bored of his project now. He would much rather know how Clint knew Steve and Peggy were dating.

"Where were you two at? And why did you have to go out tonight. You do realize finals are still this week and tomorrow is Monday?" Steve said sitting on his bed motioning for Clint to take the rolly chair.

"Today is actually Monday," Tony corrected Steve, holding his hands up a bit when the older boy sent him a look. "Just putting it out there," he added.

"Yes, thank you Stark - now Barton, why did you take Natasha out on a Monday when you know we all have finals?" Steve asked, looking over at the blond.

Clint sighed, "If I knew you were going to chew me out for bothering you, I wouldn't have made an effort to get a hold of Stark." He loosened his shirt collar by undoing the top button, running his hands through his hair he glanced at Tony while the genius talked.

"Why didn't Brucie answer? I would have thought he'd be up studying or finishing a project," Tony said, thinking out loud.

Clint shook his head, "Said he was going to bed at eleven, he's been up all weekend studying."

"Not everyone puts off assignments like you do Stark," Steve said, looking at the clock once more, "Are we going to get any sleep before our finals?"

"Not likely," Tony pointed out. "I am also not the only one that procrastinates. Barton here does too, all the time. He gets Pepper to help him edit the papers he writes. I am actually quite hurt that she would help you, since she flat out refuses to even look at my homework." Tony spread his legs out in front of him, making a mental reminder to change into a clean pair of jeans before taking his first final in a few hours.

"Perhaps it's because he asks her to look over his homework, and doesn't demand that she do it for him?" Steve guessed, raising an eyebrow at Tony.

"I don't demand—"

Tony cut himself off as the doorknob turned slightly, and clicked before opening slowly. Clint had already moved, pushing the chair back to the desk, turned the lamp off and slid down the wall. Steve had quickly lay down, throwing the blanket over his head. The room was too dark to see who came in, but they closed the door quietly. The only noise following was Tony and Steve's breathing.

A light came from a flashlight, lighting up Bruce's face.

"Fuck, Bruce, way to give us a heart attack," Tony replied upon seeing his friend, he relaxed a bit. "I thought you were Coulson, we don't need another detention."

Bruce moved to the middle of the room, his small flashlight continuing to light up his face along with the ceiling, as well as reflecting off his glasses, "If you don't want another detention than I suggest you two stop talking so loud. Betty texted me and said Natasha just got in, which she found out from Pepper, so at least she knows to be quiet while lights are supposed to be out. What are you two doing, celebrating before finals are over?" Bruce asked shifting in his pajama pants and t-shirt.

"Not exactly, Tony would if he didn't have to finish his project for today," Steve said, sitting up but keeping the blankets around his waist.

"We weren't talking that loud, blame Barton for that one. None of this would have happened if he didn't decide to bring his girlfriend out after dark," Tony said.

"She's not my girlfriend, Stark," Clint said from where he was sitting.

Bruce jumped, "Don't scare me like that," he said turning to where Clint was hiding.

"How the hell did you get over there so fast?" Tony asked, curiously as he sat up. Clint shrugged, and Steve sighed clearing his throat.

"Bruce, are you sure no one saw you on your way over here?" Steve asked.

"Our room is two away from yours, plus if someone did see me, I wouldn't be here right now," he said. "Clint why are you here anyway?"

Clint stood up, straightening his jacket out. "Took Natasha out for the night, and we should probably leave now. If I wanted to get caught out after curfew, I would have made a pass at the cops; not from staying in the same room listening to you idiots bicker."

Bruce frowned, and Steve spoke up, "Why did you take Natasha out again?"

"For the sixth time," Tony added.

Clint flipped Tony off, heading for the door, "If you're not going to follow me now, Bruce, then have fun sleeping on the floor, because unlike some people, I actually lock our door if I'm going to be staying up late."

Bruce nodded to Steve and Tony, "Bye, guys, see you tomorrow," he said when he turned off his phone's light as Clint opened the door and slipped out into the dark hallway.

"It's actually today," Tony called out to Bruce as the other dark haired teen closed the door.

Steve huffed from his side of the room, "No one cares Stark, now go to sleep," he said rolling over onto his stomach.

Tony rolled his eyes, "I care, and really that is all that matters – my opinion…. Actually it's fact, so it matters _much_ more."

"Stark, shut up," Steve said, pulling the blanket over his head. Tony slipped out of his jeans and threw them on the floor, not bothering to get up and grab a pair of sweats from his wardrobe and slid under his blankets in his boxers and t-shirt. After all his final wasn't until eleven, and he had time to finish his project.


End file.
